News and Announcements

17th March 2024

1st Sunday of Passiontide (Passion Sunday)



Dear Brothers & Sisters in Christ,

With First Vespers of Passion Sunday, we enter into the final phase of Lent, Passiontide. Upon entering the Church, the first thing we will notice is that all images, including Crucifixes, are covered. This may at first seem strange to us: why not show the image of the Crucified one especially at this time when we recall His Passion and Death? Historically, the reason is that the first Crosses did not in fact show the Suffering Christ: rather, they showed Christ the Victor, the Lamb of the Apocalypse “slain yet standing”; often, these took the form of the “Crux Gemmata”, a gleaming cross gilt with gold and studded with precious stones. The ancient practice of covering these glorious crosses continued, even when the images took a more realistic bent in the Middle Ages and later, showing in great detail the sufferings of Our Lord. But there is also a theological and spiritual reason: the covering of images, especially of the Cross, reminds us that the Divinity of Christ was especially hidden during the terrible sufferings of His Passion and Death. We are called to deepen our Faith in the continued presence of this Deus Absconditus, the Hidden God. By covering the sacred images on this day the Church the Church makes powerfully present the last scene in today’s Gospel, when St John tells us that “Jesus hid Himself, and went out of the Temple.” The austerity of the abridged Masses of Passiontide – with the suppression of the Gloria Patri and Psalm 42 – also focuses our attention on the drama of the Lord’s Passion.

Next Sunday, Palm Sunday, we commence the “Great” or Holy Week, celebrating the Mystery of our Redemption. Aside from the strict duties of our state, assistance at the Sacred Liturgies of Holy Week should have hold the highest priority in the life of a Catholic. For many centuries, they were Holy Days of Obligation. We should lay aside all that is not necessary, in order to adore and thank God for our Redemption through the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Our Lord, Jesus Christ.

he only adequate worship we can render is that gifted by the Lord Himself to His Church, in the Sacred Liturgy: and in associating ourselves with this work of adoration and thanksgiving, reparation and petition, we hope to obtain the graces necessary to persevere in the Lord’s service, with renewed zeal and generosity.

In Domino et Domina,

Fr Glen Tattersall PP


The Vatican Tomorrow by an Anonymous Cardinal (Demos II) – Courtesy of the Daily Compass


The Holy Week programme is available on the homepage of the Newman Parish website, on our Facebook page, and on the poster at the entrance to the vestibule. Postcards with the schedule are also available in the vestibule. Please note that the Solemn liturgy of Palm Sunday begins at 10.00 am.

Feasts this week: St Patrick’s Day is transferred this year to Monday, 18th March. On St Joseph’s Day (Tuesday, 19th March) there will be a Solemn Mass at 6.30 am, followed by a Procession to St Joseph’s Altar, and the renewal of the entrustment of the Newman Parish to the Most Pure & Paternal Heart of St Joseph. The Lenten obligation of Penance is lifted on the feasts of St Patrick & St Joseph.

Children’s catechism:Sunday school will resume after Easter.

Adult doctrinal catechism: this will resume in Eastertide, on a date to be announced.

Holy Week Missals, containing all of the ancient (pre-1955) Holy Week liturgical texts (with commentary), are available from St John Henry’s book room for $50 each.

Confirmation: the Sacrament of Confirmation will be conferred by Bishop Elliott on Saturday, 27th July. Parents are now invited to register their children by contacting the Secretary. The usual age for Confirmation is 10-13. Any adults who have not been confirmed are also invited to register.

Auxilium – Newman Parish Jobs Board: The Parish is pleased to present a new initiative. This is designed for the use of parishioners so they can advertise or request goods or services as needed. This provides a more appropriate format for parishioners to seek or offer aid. A website has been created for this purpose. For more information, please contact the Team on auxilium@newmanparish.org, or check the website: auxilium.newmanparish.org

Lenten Day of Recollection for Young Adults: a day of recollection to help young adults prepare for a fruitful Holy Week will take place on Saturday 23rd March. Starting with Mass at 9 am, the day will be in silence, with time dedicated to conferences on the Passion and Holy Week, prayer, work, and lunch. For further details please go to facebook.com/NewmanYoungAdults, or speak to Father Murphy.

Bible Study:a Bible study led by Father Murphy will be commencing soon on evenings of the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of the month in Saint Aloysius’ school hall at 6:00pm – 7:30pm. There will be an hour of Bible study, plus time for a cup of tea and discussion. The first 4 sessions will be on the Gospel of Saint Matthew. The first session will take place on Tuesday 26th March. To register and be on the mailing list for updates, please email Father Murphy.

Easter offering envelopes: these are now available in the vestibule and in the pews. Your offerings are for the support of the priests who serve you in the Parish of St John Henry Newman. Envelopes may be placed in either collection. Thank you for your generosity.

Priestly Ordination of Br Bede Cannavo OSB – an invitation from the monks of Notre Dame Priory: On Easter Wednesday, 3rd April 2024, at 11 am in St Canice’s Chapel, Sandy Bay, Tasmania, our Brother Bede Mary Cannavo will be ordained to the sacred priesthood by Bishop Geoffrey Jarrett, Bishop Emeritus of Lismore, longtime friend of the community and former priest of the archdiocese of Hobart. Archbishop Julian Porteous will attend in choir and preach. The following day, 4th April, at 10 am in St Patrick’s Church, Colebrook, Fr Bede will offer his first Solemn Mass. If you would like to attend either of these events, you are most welcome to do so. For the ordination ceremony, given St Canice’s has limited capacity, it is imperative that you send an RSVP to the following address before 23rd March. rsvp@notredamemonastery.org

The Sisters of the Carmel of Jesus, Mary & Joseph in Mathoura joyfully announce and invite all friends of the Carmel to attend the Veiling of Sr. Gabriela of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, OCD at a Solemn Pontifical Mass celebrating her Solemn Profession of Vows and the fifth anniversary of the founding of our Carmelite Monastery in Mathoura at 10:30 am, on the Feast of the Annunciation (Monday, 8th April, 2024). We encourage all friends of the Carmel to attend and to share information about this event with their friends. However, please ensure that all who are attending have registered via the link in the NEWS portion of the Sisters’ website: https://carmeljmj.org.au/by 20th March, 2024.

Visit of Superior General of Institute of the Good Shepherd: Father Luis Gabriel Barrero, Superior General of the Institute of the Good Shepherd, to which Father Murphy belongs, will be visiting Australia in May. He will be accompanied by Father Matteusz Markievicz, the Secretary General of the same Institute, and a friend of the Parish. The intention of the visit is a pastoral visit to Father Murphy as well as building on connections across Australia. Father Barrero will celebrate the Solemn Mass on Sunday, 12th May. We look forward to receiving him, and to welcoming back Father Markiewicz.


Sunday 1st Collection - Support for our priests

Sunday 2nd Collection - Support for the Parish and its works



The Parish of St John Henry Newman

Mass and Confession Times

17th March to 24th March

Date

Mass Times

Feast

Sunday

  • 8.00 am
  • 10.30 am Solemn Mass
  • 3.30 pm Vespers (of St Patrick) & Benediction
  • 5.00 pm
  • 1st Sunday of Passiontide (Passion Sunday)

    Monday

  • 7.00 am
  • 8.00 am
  • 10.00 am
  • St Patrick, Bishop, Confessor (transferred from 17th March)

    Tuesday

  • 6.30 am (Solemn Mass)
  • 8.30 am
  • 10.00 am
  • St Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Confessor, Patron of the Universal Church

    Wednesday

  • 7.00 am
  • 10.00 am
  • 5.30 pm (Sung) (St Patrick's Cathedral)
  • Wednesday in the 1st Week of Passiontide

    Thursday

  • 7.00 am
  • 8.00 am
  • 10.00 am
  • Thursday in the 1st Week of Passiontide

    Friday

  • 7.00 am
  • 8.00 am
  • 10.00 am
  • 6.00 pm (Stations of the Cross followed by Mass)
  • Friday in the 1st Week of Passiontide (Commemoration of Seven Dolours of the Blessed Virgin Mary)

    Saturday

  • 8.00 am
  • 9.00 am
  • 10.00 am
  • 5.00 pm (Kealba)
  • Saturday in the 1st Week of Passiontide

    Sunday

  • 8.00 am Low Mass
  • 10.00 am Solemn Mass with Blessing of Palms and Procession
  • 4.00 pm Vespers
  • 5.00 pm Low Mass
  • Next Mass at St Joseph’s Iona – Sunday, 7th April
  • Palm Sunday

    Confessions: Weekdays & Saturday mornings after each Mass; Sunday before and during each Mass.

    The Parish of St John Henry Newman

    Events/Diary

    Lenten Vespers & Benediction on the Sundays of Lent